Toothbrush for dental cleaning compacts



Sept. 14, 1965 w. s. M CAUGHEY ETAL 3,205,521

TOOTHBRUSH FOR DENTAL CLEANING COMPACTS Filed Dec. 29, 1964 Z FIG.4

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f INVENTO WALTER s. M CAU 5/ FIGS ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,205,521 TOOTHBRUSH FGR DENTAL CLEANING COMPACTS Walter S. McCaughey, Cranston, and Frederick J. McCaughey, Johnston, RJ. Filed Dec. 2,.1964,.Ser..No-. 421,849- 1 Claim. (Cl. 15-444).

The present application is a continuation-in-part of Serial No. 200,154, filed June 5, 1962, now abandoned. The present invention relates to. an improved toothbrush for dental. cleaning compacts.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved toothbrush for a dental cleaning compact wherein toothbrush, toothpaste and cup are contained in novel relationship within a case so as to be readily carried on ones person or in a travelling bag for use away from home.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved toothbrush for a dental cleaning compact wherein a novel toothbrush is formed of hinged sections so related as to reduce the overall requirements of the carrying case therefor.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved toothbrush for a dental cleaning compact wherein the toothbrush therefor has a novel hinged arrangement adjacent the brush end thereof, whereby the brush can be supported in the case in a right angular relationship and removed therefrom for use with means being provided for rigidly holding the toothbrush in a straight relationship with the means providing novel finger gripping 0f the toothbrush.

Various other objects and advantages will become apparent from the detailed description to follow.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the exterior of the dental cleaning compact;

FIGURE 2 is a rear elevational view of the compact;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the interior of the compact;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of line 4-4 in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of line 5-5 in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of line 66 in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 7 is a side elevational view of the toothbrush per se, in accordance with the invention part broken away and part in section;

FIGURE 8 is a view similar to FIGURE 7 but showing the toothbrush with its handle held in rigid relationship to the brush in accordance with the invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, wherein like numerals apply to like parts throughout, it will be seen that I have provided a dental cleaning compact 10 which includes a case 12, a dental cleaning agent container 14, a cup 16, an improved toothbrush 18 and holder means as at 20, 22, 24 and 26.

The carrier case 12 is comprised of a bottom 28 which is of generally rectangular shape, preferably, having a flat bottom wall 30 and upstanding side walls 32 around the periphery of the bottom wall 30. The case includes a cover 34 with side edge portions 36 adapted to cooperate with the side walls 32 of the bottom. The cover 34 is hingedly attached to the bottom by means of the hinges at 38 and 40 as shown in FIGURE 2. In order to releasably hold the top and bottom in closed relationship, we provide a latch at 41 which may be of any desired conventional form. For example, a conventional snap fastener type of arrangement can be utilized. Other means will readily suggest themselves. The case can be 3,205,521 Patented Sept. 14, 1965 ice formed of any suitable material such as plastic. Of course, lightweight metals covered with suitable attractive coverings may be utilized if so desired.

The dental cleaning agent container 14 may be of any suitable design including a body 42 containing a toothpaste or other agent with a neck at 44 having a cap 46 removably engaged thereon. The holder means 20 ineludes a pair of resilient fingers 48 and 50 which may be integral with the bottom wall 30 or secured thereto, as desired. As here-shown, the fingers 48, 50 are molded with the bottom wall integral therewith. The fingers 48, 50 engage opposite sides of the cap 46 to hold the container 14 in position within the case.

The cup 16 is of sectional construction including a bottom section having a bottom wall 52 and a tapered side wall 54 integral therewith and intermediate and top Sections 53, 55 and 57 telescopically received thereon. The cup 16' is made preferably of a suitable plastic. The height of the cup 16 when collapsed is such as to readily be received with the case 12. When extended the sections, seal against each other in a fashion Well known in the art. The holder means 22 includes three resilient fingers 56, 58 and 60 which as in the above-described arrangement of fingers 48, 50, may be integral with the bottom wall 30 and of the same material. Alternatively, the resilient fingers can be formed of spring metal secured to the bottom wall in any suitable fashion. The three fingers engage the outside of the top section to hold the cup in position. A suitable cover is provided at 59 for the cup.

In accordance with the invention, the toothbrush 18 is best shown in FIGURES 7 and 8 and includes first section 62 and second section 64 hingedly joined together by the hinge 66. The first section 62 is the handle portion of the toothbrush and is releasably held in the case 12 by means of the holder means 26 which includes the resilient fingers 68 and 70 similar to the above-described means. The first section 62 is formed with notches or cut-away portions 72 and a latch or slide sleeve 74 is carried in a slot 75 in the handle 62 adjacent the hinge 66 for limited movement thereat. The slide 74 has exterior knurling thereon so as to provide a finger-gripping portion at a convenient location on the handle 62.

The second section 64 has the bristles 76 imbedded therein, as is conventional, so as to provide the usual brush end. The second section 64 has a finger 78 extending therefrom Within the cross-sectional area of the second section at 80 with the finger 78 being such as to extend beyond the hinge 66 and nest in the notch 72 of the handle 62. A pair of notches or slots 79 also are provided in the section 64 beneath the finger 78, see FIGURE 6. The second section 62 is held by the holder means 24 which includes the pair of fingers 82 and 84 similar to the above described holder fingers.

It is to be noted that the holder means 24 and 26 hold the sections of the toothbrush in right angular relationship within the case so as to provide an area therebetween receiving the cup 16 so as to more efiiciently use the space within the case 12. When it is desired to use the compact, the toothbrush is removed from the holder means 24 and 26 and the toothbrush is urged to a straight relationship so that the finger 78 engages in the notch 72 and the slide latch 74 is slid in the notches 75 and into the notches or slots 79, which lie beyond the hinge 66, to hold the finger in locked relationship in the notch 72. The latch thus has a ortion in the slots 75, 79 on each side of the hinge 66. Toothpaste from the container 14 is ejected by squeezing the bottle portion 42 which is preferably of a squeeze type of plastic construction. Use of the cup 16 may then be had. After usage and cleaning of the cup and brush, the latch 74 is slid to a retracted relationship and the brush is returned to the right angular relationship within the case. Also, the cup is replaced within the fingers 56, 58 and 60 and the case is then stored forv future use.

In view of the foregoing, it is believed that we have provided an improved toothbrush which fulfills the objects tional as well as conjointly cooperative equivalents, are

therefore intended to be embraced by this claim.

We claim: A toothbrush for dental cleaning compacts comprising first and second horizontally aligned sections, said first section being a handle having a forward end and a rearward end, said second section having a forward end and a rearward end, said second section having bristles embedded in said forward end thereof to providea brush,-

said forward end of said first section being hingedly se in several forms section extending rearwardly from and above said lower base portion in axial alignment with said first section,said second section having an integral finger projection extending axially from said rearward end of said second section adjacent said first section, said finger projection corresponding in dimension to the notch in said first section, hinge means positioned below the notch portion of said first section and below the integral finger portion of said second section for hingedly seeming said second section to the lower base portion of said first section, slide means positioned in the axially extending slots of said-first section and extending over the top surface of the first section, said slide means movable axially within the slot means over the top surface of the first section toone position at least to the hinge means to lock the integral finger projection in the notch of and against the lower base portion of the first section bringing the first and second sections I in locked axial alignment and movable axially to a second position releasing said finger projection from said notch to cured to said rearward end of said second section in end- I References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/86 Nunn 1s 1'44 3/38 Findley. 

1. IN A FRACTION COLLECTING APPARATUS OF THE TYPE HAVA TOOTHBRUSH FOR DENTAL CLEANING COMPACTS COMPRISING ING A STATIONARY FRAME WITH A QUADRATED RECTANGULAR ARRAY FIRST AND SECOND HORIZONTALLY ALIGNED SECTIONS, SAID FIRST OF SAMPLE CONTAINERS MOUNTED THEREIN, SAID CONTAINERS SECTION BEING A HANDLE HAVING A FORWARD END AND A REAREQUALLY SPACED IN ROWS ALONG X AND Y COORDINATES OF SAID WARD END, SAID SECOND SECTION HAVING A FORWARD END AND ARRAY, A HEAD CARRIED BY SAID FRAME AND MOVABLE WITH A REARWARD END, SAID SECOND SECTION HAVING BRISTLES EMRESPTECT THERETO ALONG SAID X AND Y COORDINATES TO POSITIONS BEDDED IN SAID FORWARD END THEREOF TO PROVIDE A BRUSH, OVERLYING DIFFERENT ONES OF SAID CONTAINERS, SAID HEAD SAID FORWARD END OF SAID FIRST SECTION BEING HINGEDLY SEADAPTED TO DISCHARGE LIQUID FRACITONS INTO THE UNDERLYING CURED TO SAID REARWARD END OF SAID SECOND SECTION IN ENDCONTAINER 